Folks, if you belong to my generation, you, like me, probably began buying Bench clothes and other stuff in your teenage years. This iconic Pinoy brand was established in 1987. I was in college when I started patronising it, and loved the brand-embroidered face towel which I, and many of
my friends, used as a hankie.
Now, 32 years later, Bench is not just about shirts and towels,
not even just about scents and bags and other life must-haves,
it is also about food - - and good food, for that matter.
Bench Cafe opened in 2017 at the flagship Bench store and headquarters in Taguig City. A branch opened this year at Robinsons Place Manila, which is near where I go to church so I was able to finally try this modern-looking cafe and
have gone back on multiple occasions since July.
Bench Cafe serves traditional Filipino dishes and comfort food with a twist plus street food, without giving you the fear of jaundice-causing virus. I was fascinated by the menu so I keep on coming back to try new dishes.
These are what I/my companions have so far enjoyed:
Bagnet Kare-kare Bench-to
The Benchto is Bench Cafe's own version of the Japanese bento. There's a cup of steaming white rice, your choice of viand, plus veggies. The Kare-kare was my daughter's choice. It was good! And nostalgic...it almost tasted like home.
Inasal na Liempo Bench-to
The thick slice of pork appealed to me. It was also flavorful and tender.
This was my choice. I'm a big fan of deep-fried pork! But although I liked the lechon kawali itself, the brown sauce underneath wasn't so much to my liking. I wasn't sure if it was lechon sauce but it was bland for my taste. The laing side dish was superb though. It was creamy and mushy - - the way laing should be.
Pancit Guisado
This has a mixture of bihon and canton noodles, with veggies, some meat slices and chicharon toppings. Good! My sister loved this one.
I'm also a fan of this kind of pansit but Bench Cafe's version was sadly not up to par. It was dry and the noodles seemed to be rather undercooked. I hope this isn't always the case 'coz I would want to order it again.
Now this was a game-changer. Rice porridge with all the works! There's fried pulled pork on top, crispy garlic bits which I absolutely love, poached egg and meatballs. I was famished when I arrived at the cafe and having this hot bowl of arroz caldo gave much comfort to my "hangry" tummy. Each spoonful was made even more delicious when I added some of the mashed ginger it was served with. Yummy!
Tomato Kesong Puti Pandesal
More fried egg taste, less of kesong puti. I loved the fried potato
and "kamote" (sweet potato) chips, though.
Tinapa Cones
These look like ice cream, I know, but they aren't cold. Haha! Cones made from fried lumpia wrappers are filled with creamy tinapa mousse. Because I'm such a huge fan of tinapa or smoked fish, I loved this one though I admit it was kinda cloying
so I wasn't able to finish all three.
One time, I came not so hungry so I only had this together with the Ube Latte. It was good to have street food in a "sosyal" setting. Haha! No fear of "hepa" too!
I was happy to find this on the Bench Cafe menu and for only P20! Sweet and delicious, it was the perfect thing to have with a cup of kapeng barako.
What a divine pair!
Bibingka Cheesecake
This is a dense cheesecake that's not too sweet. The infusion of "bibingka" (a type of native rice cake) flavors renders some saltiness to it. There's even a slice of salted egg on top for a more bibingka look and taste, and which
gives this dessert a Christmas-y feel.
If the turon looks boring to you, it's because it doesn't have any sugar, just as I requested, to compensate for the sweetness I would take in from the ube ice cream. Too much of a good thing is bad. Haha! I was happy my request for a sugarless
turon was granted. Kudos to the cook!
This was a guilt-laden thing to cap a good meal with. It was sweet and delicious! This halo-halo uses shaved ice that's already mixed with Ube, so you could just imagine how flavor-packed it was. The ice was smooth to the tongue, really creamy and definitely heavenly. This Ube Halo-Halo is a must-try!
Obviously, this one changes the way you drink your coffee with the
clever addition of lemongrass and some ube halaya. Another must-try!
I asked for a sugarless serving and got what I wanted, thank you.
A guilt-free drink for me!
Gave me my needed caffeine jolt. Not for the faint of heart 'coz it really is strong!
Looked good to me but it wasn't mine. Haha!
My daughter's choice. She said she liked the blend as it
wasn't too sweet and was refreshing.
Menu
Interiors
Bench Cafe at the ground floor of Robinsons Place Manila
There's a lot more appetizing dishes to try at Bench Cafe and I'm just so sure to keep coming back. It has become my favorite place for a meal and a good drink at Robinsons Place Manila. I definitely recommend that you bring your squad there to enjoy, too, not just the tummy-fillers but the chic, elegant interiors and ambiance as well. The prices, if you ask me, are reasonable, and the crews are very friendly
and helpful, always willing to grant the customer's request.
What's not to love about Bench Cafe?
Needless to say (but I'm saying it anyway. Haha!), this fruit tea is bursting with flavors that you'd surely love. I did..a lot! I'd surely keep coming back 
California Mix and Chicken Chops
For the life of me, I can't remember what this was but I had this one time and didn't enjoy it much because the tea taste was too strong for me. It's not Chachago's 
Some of their best-selling flavors to choose from 
